My 25-year Career Path: Empowered to Shape My Career

This audio was created using Microsoft Azure Speech Services

Empowered to act like an owner

A few years ago, my wife asked me: “Why are you so loyal to Schneider Electric?”. My answer to her was: “It is the same reason why I am loyal to you. We share the same core values.” One of the core values I’ve shared with Schneider Electric during my long career path is: being empowered to learn and taking charge of my career. 

Looking back at my career path, I have been very privileged to work in 12 different positions, across different functions, business units, and organizations over 25 years. No two days within the 9000+ days I have been with Schneider Electric have been the same. Every day presents new challenges, new problems to solve, new people to meet and most importantly, new opportunities to learn and improve myself. Every assignment helped to broaden my knowledge in every aspect of the organization. And this is what makes Schneider Electric unique in my eyes.

Throughout my 25-year career path, Being exposed to different parts of the business has given me a sense of belonging, which makes me understand their operations and thus act like an owner. Regardless of which role we are holding, every decision that we make will ultimately have an impact on the company and the customers. Seeing our efforts come into fruition is one of the most rewarding feelings I have ever felt.

Diverse and evolving career path

Schneider Electric has become a truly global organization if I compare it to when I joined the company in Jakarta, 25 years ago. Back in the day, all my team members were Indonesian. Today I can count at least 7 different nationalities within my team.

From managing industrial operations in Indonesia to overseeing strategy and industrial deployment for the entire region, I have been empowered to shape my career and constantly strive to achieve my fullest potential.

My role requires me to collaborate with people from all over the world. We are becoming increasingly diverse as an organization, creating better conversations and dynamics for all our employees. At the same time, we need to learn fast and adapt to constant changes within the organization. Changes to improve and to better respond to this ever-changing world.

This is how Schneider has been able to lead the way in terms of digitization and innovation in its product and solutions. What inspires me the most as an individual is that Schneider is not only delivering smart energy efficiency solutions but also contributing to enable progress and sustainability for all. I am in line with the company’s vision – access to energy and digital is a basic human right.

Embracing our own technology

Recently, Schneider Electric Singapore organized the promotion of our Wiser Smart Home solution to all employees as part of our employee purchase program. This event inspired me to purchase and install it to demonstrate that I can walk the talk. At Schneider, we eat our own food by fully embracing and experiencing our own technology everywhere and at every moment. Using our Smart Home and Smart Energy solutions in my own house was a great opportunity to learn more about our technology and be in the shoes of our customers. With this, I am hoping to be able to provide valuable feedback to my colleagues about my customer experience in terms of product, quality, and service.

Every step has been a meaningful journey

Having contributed to many company initiatives, I am very happy to be a part of Schneider Electric’s successful transformation journey, as much as Schneider has been part of my personal transformation too.

Schneider Electric is an integrated part of my life and personal story and I am grateful for my 25-year career path. And this is the reason why I am still with Schneider today.

Take charge of your career path today with Schneider Electric. Working at Schneider, we promise you this: You will find your work meaningful, you will be in an inclusive environment, and you will be empowered. Check out our careers today and apply at www.se.com/careers

About the Author

Ernest Elias Sasmita is an Indonesian who currently lives in Singapore. He is the Logistics Network & Engineering Director, East Asia and Japan countries under Global Supply Chain and has been a member of Schneider Electric since June 1994. Happily married with 2 children, Ernest enjoys spending time with his family during leisure time. Connect with Ernest on LinkedIn.